Our words should never be used by the Devil as weapons to destroy or discourage others. Any problem with our words reveals a problem with our heart: “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). The mouth can exhibit good or bad and our actions reveal the heart of the problem when the Bible says, “out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19). This is why our words are not always profitable to those who hear them. Yet, God admonishes us to “let no corrupt communication proceed out of” our mouth. Believers are instead encouraged to make sure their words are “good to the use of edifying.” The saint of God should speak words that God can use to build up other saints in the faith.
Many people claim to confess their sins; yet, confession not followed by action remains fruitless. Several verses in the word of God indicate the truth of the matter. Consider the next four examples: (1) Confession of sin is connected to forsaking sin (Proverbs 28:13); (2) Confession of sin is followed by recompense of the trespass (Numbers 5:7); (3) Solomon connected confessing sin with turning from it (1 Kings 8:35); (4) Confession is followed by doing the Lord’s pleasure (Ezra 10:11). True confession involves much more than simply receiving the Lord’s forgiveness; it involves making wrongs right. True confession is never accomplished by merely opening one's mouth and spouting forth some meaningless words. True confession always produces change in the confessor.
